Voith GmbH history

Heidenheim got a railroad connection in 1870 and thereafter developed into a rapidly growing industrial town.

Following the founding of the German Reich in 1871, fueled by the ongoing Industrial Revolution, the German economy began to take off.

At the same time, it has extended its reach around the globe. Its first paper machine was delivered 125 years ago, in 1881, and over the past century and half Voith has developed to become one of the largest and most technically advanced suppliers to the pulp and paper industry.

Because Friedrich Voith was convinced that quality products can only be manufactured with a well-trained specialist workforce, he founded his own teaching workshop as early as 1910.

When Friedrich Voith died in 1913, he left his sons a flourishing machine factory.

1914-60: Wars and Recovery under Hanns Voith

In 1922 J.M. Voith introduced a new product--the Kaplan turbine.

In 1929, when the world economy was shaken by the stock market crash on Wall Street, Voith's first hydro-dynamic couplings were developed and built into pumped storage power stations.

By 1947, of the three Voith brothers only Hanns Voith, the youngest, was still alive.

When the company was transformed into J.M. Voith GmbH in 1950, its workforce was back at its prewar level of 4,000.

In 1961 another subsidiary for managing the couplings market, the Voith Getriebe KG, was set up.

BRAZIL MAKES SENSE. In 1964, Voith in Germany recognized the enormous potential that the giant South American country of Brazil offered for two of its biggest product lines: Paper machines and hydroelectric power turbines.

1965: Voith's paper machine division sets up a subsidiary in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Porritts & Spencer (Asia) (PSAL) a subsidiary of the UK-based multinational Porritts & Spencer started operations in 1974.

1992-99 Reorganization and New Ventures

The tissue pilot plant at São Paulo, which will play a critical role in Voith’s development and is an important reason why Brazil was chosen as the center for tissue activities, was built in 1994.

In 1995 the other two corporate divisions--Voith Turbo and Voith Hydro--became legally independent.

In 1996, a production facility for covering in Kunshan was established.

1997: J.M. Voith reorganizes, with all stock held by the Voith family and German banks.

"Maschinenbauer Voith plant Personalabbau," Die Welt (online edition), November 25, 1998.

That is the Voith way of doing things, long-term relationships rather than quick deals.” The first commercial installation will take place at a confidential site, a rebuild, with the startup planned for the fourth quarter of 2006.

From 2009 on under the name Voith Hydro, the joint venture has further been known for its high competence, excellent research and development, technical reliability and innovations, which are recognized worldwide.

After continuous expansion, the Center for Paper Technology for the whole Chinese market was officially opened in 2010.

Voith strengthened its role as a pioneer in training 2014 with the opening of two training centers in Kunshan, China and Heidenheim, Germany.